Tip Geometry Research Articles

A feasibility study towards traceable calibration of size and form of microspheres by stitching AFM images using ICP point-to-plane algorithm

We present a new method for traceable calibration of size and form error of microspheres, which was realised by stitching a series of atomic force microscopic (AFM) images measured at different orientations of microspheres using the metrological large range AFM of the PTB. The stitching algorithm is achieved using an iterative closest point point-to-plane algorithm. As the AFM tip geometry is one of the most significant error sources for the developed method, it was traceably calibrated to a line width standard (type IVPS100-PTB), whose feature geometry was calibrated with a traceable route to the lattice constant of crystal silicon. Measurement setup, scan strategy, and data evaluation processes have been detailed in the paper. Measurement results show high stability and robustness of the developed method. For instance, the standard deviation of four repeated measurements reaches 5 nm, indicating promising performance.

Parametric study on the internal geometry affecting agricultural air induction nozzle performance

With recent advances in agricultural engineering, precision spraying has become of prime interest to avoid chemical drift or rebound and to minimize water and soil pollution. Air induction nozzles are reliable alternatives for conventional nozzles to overcome these challenges. A parametric study was designed both experimentally and numerically to investigate the effect of each design parameter on the performance of an air induction nozzle. A number of components were designed, manufactured, and tested. The spray structure was captured using a planer Mie scattering imaging system. The mean droplet size was measured using a Malvern particle sizer based on a laser diffraction technique. The results indicated the influence of each geometrical component on the resultant behavior. The internal geometry of the nozzle was found to significantly impact the stability and structure of the spray such as the fluid behavior inside the nozzles and the air-to-liquid mass flow ratio, as well as spray angle, droplet size, and uniformity. The key findings of this study indicate that pre-orifice inlet diameter primarily controls the flow behavior, air, and liquid inlet diameters of the ejector section impact mainly on the air-to-liquid mass flow ratio, the geometry of the mixing chamber mainly controls the stability of the resulting spray, and the geometry of the flat-fan tip essentially controls the spray angle and droplet size. The results can help nozzle designers optimize the design target, enhance atomization efficiency, and understand the effect of the various design parameters on the internal flow behavior of air induction nozzles.

Effect of material composition of diamond field emission array cathodes on quality of transversely shaped beams

Diamond field emitter array field emission cathodes (DFEA FECs) are attractive for the next generation of injectors due to their ability to produce transversely shaped beams without the need for complex masking or laser schemes. However, reliability of this cathode technology remains a challenging issue as principal mechanisms guiding and allowing for output beam shaping remained poorly understood. This paper reports the results of testing two DFEA FECs with the same pattern and emitter tip geometry. Although both cathodes were able to sustain gradients of 44 MV/m and produce maximum output integral charge of 0.5 nC per radio frequency pulse, their emission patterns were different. One cathode did not produce a shaped beam, while the other one did. This difference was explained by the extent of the local variations of the diamond material across the arrays as discovered by spatially resolved Raman spectroscopy. The main practical takeaways were (i) tip sharpness was not a prerequisite for producing a shaped beam and instead (ii) material characteristics resulting in different cathode ballast resistance affected emission spatial uniformity across the array and hence the beam shaping.

A quantitative model that correlates sharpness retention and abrasive wear of knife blades

The relation between sharpness retention and the wear of knife blades is a fundamental technical problem to be elucidated in industry, as it can help improve the design of knife blades and extend their service time. In this study, the wear mechanism of steel blades with varied blade angles were investigated following classic wear methodology. Simple linear relationship between actual applied force F, cycle number n and volume of material loss Vloss were found and analyzed. The wear rates (1.5–1.98 × 10−4 mm3/(Nm)) and wear constant K (∼10−3) were determined, and the wear process the blade tip suffered was identified as three-body abrasive wear. Moreover, the sharpness retention of a blade was evaluated via the Cumulative Cutting Depth (CCD) of paper cards, which closely correlates to the evolution of blade tip geometry. The cutting mechanism was found to shift from cutting-up to wear-out as the contact pressure underneath the blade tip falls below a critical value, e. g 136 MPa for the paper cards. Considering both these two cutting mechanisms, a generalized quantitative model has been established to describe the CCD in terms of wear resistance of materials, blade angle and initial width of blade tip.

Water Phantom Characterization of a Novel Optical Fiber Sensor for LDR Brachytherapy

This work considers the feasibility of using a novel optical fiber-based sensor, employing a terbium-doped gadolinium oxysulfide (Gd2O2S:Tb) inorganic scintillator, as a real-time in vivo dosimetry solution for applications in low-dose-rate (LDR) prostate brachytherapy (BT). This study specifically considers the influence of scintillator geometry (hemisphere tip versus cylindrical cavity), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) fiber core diameter (0.5 versus 1.0 mm), and sensor housing material (stainless steel versus plastic) on the measured scintillation signal. Characterization measurements were performed using a silicon photon-multiplier (SiPM) detector and a commercial water phantom system, integrated with custom 3-D printed components to allow for precise positioning of the LDR BT radiation source with respect to the optical fiber sensor (OFS). Significant differences in the rate of fall-off in the scintillation signal, with distance from the source, were observed between the different scintillator geometries considered. The hemisphere tip geometry was shown to be the most accurate, tracking with the expected fall-off in dose-rate, within measurement uncertainty. Reducing the fiber core diameter from 1.0 to 0.5 mm resulted in a sixfold reduction in the detected scintillation signal. A further 57% reduction was observed when housing the 0.5-mm fiber within a stainless steel LDR BT needle applicator. Initial results demonstrate the feasibility of employing an OFS, for applications in LDR BT, given the excellent agreement of measurements with theoretical expectations. Furthermore, a calibration process has been described for converting the detected scintillation signal into absorbed dose/dose rate, using our water phantom-based experimental setup.

Development and evaluation of a titanium-based planar ultrasonic scalpel for precision surgery

This paper introduces a titanium-based planar ultrasonic microscalpel. The concept of silicon-based planar ultrasonic transducers has already been proven, but they are not yet suitable for clinical use due to material failure. The main objective of this work was to develop a smaller, lighter, and more cost-effective ultrasonic scalpel that could be used as an alternative or supplementary device to current surgical instruments. Various prototypes were fabricated and characterized, differing in bonding by three epoxy adhesives and two solder pastes as well as three variations in tip design. The instruments were designed to operate in the frequency range of commercial instruments and to generate a longitudinal displacement amplitude. The electro-mechanical characterization through impedance analysis and vibration measurements was complemented by an in vitro cutting trial and an acute in vivo animal experiment in comparison to commercial ultrasonic and electrosurgical devices. The operating frequency was around 40 kHz and 48 kHz depending on whether matched or unmatched operation was used. Unmatched operation turned out to be more suitable, achieving displacement amplitudes of 25.3 μm and associated velocity amplitudes of up to 7.9 m/s at an electrical power of 10.2 W. The cutting ability was demonstrated in vivo by successful dissection even under anticoagulation. The geometry of the instrument tip was found to have a major influence on cutting performance by affecting the resonance behaviour and tissue penetration.

Numerical Study of Rayleigh Wave Interaction with Rolling Contact Fatigue Type of Defects

ABSTRACT Rolling Contact Fatigue or Damage (RCF/RCD) presents significant maintenance challenges to railroads across the globe. Quantifying RCF/RCD crack depths and density in rails is important for all railroads to manage their grinding programs effectively and efficiently and being able to conduct ultrasonic testing (UT) of rails for reliable detection of internal fatigue damage. This work focuses on the modeling of Rayleigh waves UT approach to detect and characterize RCF type of defects which can form as: vertical, oblique or branched shaped surface breaking defects in the rail head. Specifically, the transmission coefficient (Tc) of Rayleigh waves was studied using finite element analysis (FEA). The effect of crack tip geometry on Tc values is discussed. The results suggest that for oblique, and branch cracks, characterization based purely on the Tc can be challenging due to symmetric sinusoidal fluctuations in the Tc. A real crack using a micrograph image was also modeled to validate the Tc results for oblique and branched cracks. This points to the need for additional parameters to be identified for efficient and reliable characterization of RCF/RCD type of defects in rails.

THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRAIN/STRESS FIELDS IN BERKOVICH/VICKERS INDENTATION: COMPARISONS WITH THIN FILM DELAMINATION AND SHEAR BAND FORMATION

Starting from the simple assumption that the displacement field underneath a pyramidal (Berkovich/Vickers) tip for very shallow indents is described by the Boussinesq solution, while for deeper ones is dictated by the tip's specific geometry, a combination of the two leads to a combined displacement field for the material at contact with the tip. Continuum mechanics is then utilized for the calculation of the strain tensor, while gradient elasticity theory is adopted for the determination of the stress tensor underneath the tip. Gradient elasticity was assumed in order for the gradient term to be able to model, in this case, the inhomogeneously applied load due to the specific tip geometry, which is different than a flat punch. The thus calculated stress component along the loading (vertical) direction is a parametric function of the material's elastic constants (Poisson's ratio, Lame constants), as well as of the maximum elastic deformation and the gradient coefficient. By appropriately modifying these parameters, the proposed formulation seems to be able to predict the mechanical response of the material underneath the indenter for the specific pyramidal tip geometry (Berkovich or Vickers), without any approximations or empirical relations. The validity of the proposed formulation's predictions was checked against thin film delamination and shear band formation AFM/SEM micrographs, which showed a very good qualitative as well as quantitative comparison with the theoretical predictions.

Nanodroplets wetting an elastic half-space.

Wetting of deformable surfaces is a highly debated topic in interface science. A classical approach employing the localized Young's traction γsinθ and curvature-induced traction following from the spherical cap assumption, is commonly used for the evaluation of the deformation - particularly, a wetting ridge - of the surface. This, however, does not provide insight into the nanophysics behind the soft wetting, and the effect the surface forces have on the wetting ridge geometry is still poorly understood. In the present paper, we use the disjoining pressure concept to study statics and dynamics of nanoscale droplets on elastic, infinitely thick surfaces. We show that the wetting ridge tip geometry does depend on the surface forces. We demonstrate that when the droplet comparable with the range of the surface force action spreads, the wetting ridge evolves in a way that its maximal height and solid angle changes with time non-monotonically.

Quasi-static indentation damage mechanics of PU foam core reinforced with fly ash particulate

The fly ash (FA) particulates are used in this study to reinforce the polyurethane foam (PUF) core. The FA particles inclusion improves the mechanical performance of the PUF core under compression by increasing its modulus of elasticity. Low-velocity impacts have damage dynamics that are pretty similar to quasi-static indentation. Consequently, the indentation resistance capability of the PUF core is investigated for three types of indenter nose tips with varied FA wt. Percentages (flat-circular, hemispherical, and conical). The results reveal that the reinforced foam core’s resistance varies with reinforcement percentage under indentation. However, FA reinforcement to PUF does not necessarily improve indentation resistance. The damage mechanism of the PUF core under indentation has been evaluated for each type of indenter. The interaction of crushing, shear, and tear of the damaged surface with the change in indenter nose tip has been explained with 0–20% variation of FA particles. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images are taken for the analysis of the damaged PUF core cross-section at the indented location. Earlier mechanical findings of the scatter in deformation behavior with the indenter nose tip geometry are substantiated by the SEM studies.

Diamondlike Carbon Surface Treatment Improves the Fatigue Resistance of Ultrasonic Tips

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to compare E1-Irrisonic (Helse Ultrasonics, Ocoee, FL) and Irri Black (Helse Ultrasonics), a novel ultrasonic tip with diamondlike carbon treatment, regarding their design, metallurgy, microhardness, bending resistance, and time to fracture under the oscillatory fatigue test. MethodsA total of 17 E1-Irrisonic and 17 Irri Black new ultrasonic tips were selected. The tip geometry and surface finishing were assessed using scanning electron microscopy. The elemental composition was defined by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Hardness Knoop was calculated using a microhardness tester. The maximum load required to displace the instrument in 45° was recorded in gram/force, oscillatory fatigue was measured in seconds at the moment of instrument fracture, and the size of the separate fragments was determined in millimeters. The Student t test was used for statistical comparison (α = 5%). ResultsScanning electron microscopic analyses revealed that E1-Irrisonic had a flat end tip, whereas a noncutting rounded tip was observed in Irri Black. The surface of E1-Irrisonic was smoother than Irri Black, which was irregular. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopic analyses showed that the elemental compositions of the E1-Irrisonic and Irri Black tips were consistent with stainless steel and titanium-aluminum alloys, respectively. Irri Black showed significantly higher bending load resistance, time to fracture under oscillatory motion, and hardness Knoop than the E1-Irrisonic tip (P < .05), whereas the length of fragments was similar (P > .05). ConclusionDiamondlike carbon treatment improved hardness Knoop and reduced the flexibility of the Irri Black ultrasonic tip, improving its time to fracture under oscillatory motion compared with the nontreated E1-Irrisonic tip.

Characterization of the file-specific heat-treated ProTaper Ultimate rotary system.

To compare design, metallurgy and mechanical performance of the ProTaper (PT) Ultimate system with instruments of similar dimensions from the ProGlider, PT Gold and PT Universal systems. New PT Ultimate instruments (n=248) were compared with instruments of similar dimensions from ProGlider (n=31), PT Gold (n=155) and PT Universal (n=155) systems regarding their number of spirals, helical angle, blade symmetry, tip geometry, surface finishing, nickel/titanium ratio, phase transformation temperatures and mechanical performance. One-way anova and nonparametric Mood's median tests were used for statistical comparison (α=5%). All instruments had symmetrical blades without radial lands or flat sides, similar surface finishing and an almost equiatomic nickel/titanium ratio, whilst the number of spirals, helical angles and the tip geometry were different. PT Ultimate instruments showed 3 distinct heat treatments that matched with the colour of their metal wire. Slider and ProGlider instruments had similar R-phase start (Rs) and R-phase finish (Rf) temperatures. SX, F1, F2, F3 and Shaper instruments showed equivalent heat treatments (Rs ~45.6°C and Rf ~28.3°C) that were similar to their PT Gold counterparts (Rs ~47.9°C and Rf ~28.2°C), but completely distinct to the PT Universal ones (Rs ~16.2°C and Rf ~-18.2°C). Amongst the PT Ultimate instruments, the lowest maximum torques were observed in the SX (0.44 N cm), Slider (0.45 N cm) and Shaper (0.60 N cm) instruments, whilst the highest was noted in the FXL (4.90 N cm). PT Ultimate Slider and ProGlider had similar torsional (~0.40 N cm) and bending loads (~145.0 gf) (p=1.000), whilst the other PT Ultimate instruments showed statistically significantly lower maximum torque, higher angle of rotation and lower bending load (higher flexibility) than their counterparts of the PT Universal and PT Gold systems. The PT Ultimate system comprises instruments with 3 distinct heat treatments that showed similar phase transformation temperatures to their heat-treated analogues. PT Ultimate instruments presented lower torsional strength and superior flexibility than their counterparts, whilst maximum torque, angle of rotation and bending loads progressively increased with their sizes.

Experimental and simulation investigation of surgical needle insertion into soft tissue mimic biomaterial for minimally invasive surgery (MIS).

The surgical needle insertion process is widely applied in medical interference. During the insertion process, the inhomogeneity and denseness of the soft tissues make it tough to detect the essential tissue damage, a rupture occurs that contains huge forces and material deformations. This study is very important, as all the above-mentioned factors are very significant for modern invasive surgery so that the success rate of the surgery can increase and the patient recovers smoothly. This investigation intends to perform minimally invasive surgical (MIS) procedures and reduce the living tissue damage while performing the biopsy, PCNL, etc. A fracture mechanics method was analyzed to create a needle insertion model which can estimate the needle insertion force during inset in tissue-like PVA gel. The force model was calculated by needle insertion experimentally, and also estimated the needle tip geometry, and diameter influences the fracture toughness. Validate exp. results with simulation results and other papers. It is observed that needle diameter has a significant effect on fracture toughness, whereas the insertion velocity has a slight impact on the fracture toughness. During the rotational needle insertion process, the winds-up of the gel occurs and the diameter of the hole was increasing with increased rpm. Maximum insertion force was noticed in the 27 G needle at 5 mm/s. The interaction function will be less at the maximum fracture development region.

Static penetration assessment of stone weapon tip geometry metrics and comparison of static and dynamic penetration depths

AbstractMany factors governed the penetration efficacy of prehistoric projectile weaponry. Archaeologists broadly focus their efforts on understanding the effect of stone weapon tips because these specimens are often the only part of the weapon system that survives in the archaeological record. The tip cross‐sectional area (TCSA) and perimeter (TCSP) of stone weapon tips have been shown to correlate with target penetration depth. Here, using results from both static and dynamic penetration testing, we compare TCSA and TCSP against other tip geometry metrics: lateral surface area (LSA) and volume (V). Our analyses broadly show that using a single‐point geometry metric evaluated at multiple locations along the length of the point, or using multiple geometry metrics evaluated at a single location, better predicts required energy than using a single‐point geometry metric evaluated at a single location. Our results also show that in the case where a single geometry metric evaluated at multiple locations is used LSA provided the most robust prediction models. Finally, our results show that for the case where all geometry metrics evaluated at a single location are used the location that provides the most robust prediction model is dependent on how far the point penetrated the target.

Surface characterization of an ultra-soft contact lens material using an atomic force microscopy nanoindentation method

As new ultra-soft materials are being developed for medical devices and biomedical applications, the comprehensive characterization of their physical and mechanical properties is both critical and challenging. To characterize the very low surface modulus of the novel biomimetic lehfilcon A silicone hydrogel contact lens coated with a layer of a branched polymer brush structure, an improved atomic force microscopy (AFM) nanoindentation method has been applied. This technique allows for precise contact-point determination without the effects of viscous squeeze-out upon approaching the branched polymer. Additionally, it allows individual brush elements to be mechanically characterized in the absence of poroelastic effects. This was accomplished by selecting an AFM probe with a design (tip size, geometry, and spring constant) that was especially suited to measuring the properties of soft materials and biological samples. The enhanced sensitivity and accuracy of this method allows for the precise measurement of the very soft lehfilcon A material, which has an extremely low elastic modulus in the surface region (as low as 2 kPa) and extremely high elasticity (nearly 100%) in an aqueous environment. The surface-characterization results not only reveal the ultra-soft nature of the lehfilcon A lens surface but also demonstrate that the elastic modulus exhibits a 30 kPa/200 nm gradient with depth due to the disparity between the modulus of the branched polymer brushes and the SiHy substrate. This surface-characterization methodology may be applied to other ultra-soft materials and medical devices.

Artificial intelligence based analysis of nanoindentation load–displacement data using a genetic algorithm

We developed an automated tool, Nanoindentation Neo package for the analysis of nanoindentation load–displacement curves using a Genetic Algorithm (GA) applied to the Oliver-Pharr method (Oliver et al.,1992). For some materials, such as polycrystalline isotropic graphites, Least Squares Fitting (LSF) of the unload curve can produce unrealistic fit parameters. These graphites exhibit sharply peaked unloading curves not easily fit using the LSF, which tends to overestimate the indenter tip geometry parameter. To tackle this problem, we extended our general materials characterization tool Neo for EXAFS analysis (Terry et al., 2021) to fit nanoindentation data. Nanoindentation Neo automatically processes and analyzes nanoindentation data with minimal user input while producing meaningful fit parameters. GA, a robust metaheuristic method, begins with a population of temporary solutions using model parameters called chromosomes; from these we evaluate a fitness value for each solution, and select the best solutions to mix with random solutions producing the next generation. A mutation operator then modifies existing solutions by random perturbations, and the optimal solution is selected. We tested the GA method using Silica and Al reference standards. We fit samples of graphite and a high entropy alloy (HEA) consisting of BCC and FCC phases.

Exploring the anneal hardening phenomenon in nanocrystalline Pt-Ru alloys

Pt and its alloys have important applications in the field of catalysis or in the jewellery industry. Especially in the latter case sufficient strength is necessary to ensure wear resistance. We thus explore here the potential of severe plastic deformation on the strengthening behaviour of two Pt-Ru alloys. Depending on the Ru content and the deformation conditions hardness values of up to 6.5 GPa could be achieved. A further hardness increase to more than 7 GPa can be obtained by adequate recovery annealing. Indentation with different tip geometries indicates that the specimens undergo significant strain softening after the heat treatment. The results further show that the anneal hardening effect occurs only below a specific threshold grain size, with the extent increasing towards smaller grains. This can be rationalized by the increasing role of grain boundaries for mechanical properties at the submicron scale. Considering different possible origins of the hardness increase and bearing in mind that indentation techniques sample the strength at rather large plastic strains, the results seem to be best explained by annihilation of lattice dislocations and grain boundary defects, complicating the absorption of dislocations at the grain boundaries after the heat treatments.

Automated quality control inspection of geometric tip defects in medical needle manufacturing

The manufacture of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) needles is subject to the most stringent quality demands. This makes automated inspection challenging due to difficulty in reliably classifying conforming and non-conforming (defective) products due to factors including multidimensional variation of their tip geometry and the lack of an explicit quality standard. In addition, developing an IVF needle image dataset, which broadly contains the visual characteristics of qualified and defective products, is difficult without commissioning large and costly production runs. The most important original contribution of this work is a new solution to investigate and quantify the uncertainty in the quality standard of IVF needles by integrating inter-disciplinary techniques. This work utilizes a low-cost, virtual dataset of synthetic images, generated by the automated photo-realistic rendering of a three-dimensional (3D) parametric model to simulate manufacturing variation. Then, the unknown numerical (critical) quality thresholds are obtained by estimating the relationship between quality response and measurement predictors using an Ordinal Logistic Regression (OLR) algorithm on the synthetic images. The fitted models exhibited increased overall predictive accuracy of up to 11.02% than the machine learning models (available in MATLAB) and could provide objective guidance on classifying specific quality aspects of a product.

Investigation of the effects of passive pre-chamber nozzle pattern and ignition system on engine performance and emissions

The impact of passive pre-chamber (PC) internal volume, nozzle hole pattern (i.e. with and without a central axial nozzle), and PC igniter plug type on performance and emissions was investigated in an optically accessible, single-cylinder, gasoline research engine. The two PC igniter plugs investigated were a conventional inductive coil spark plug and a nanosecond repetitively pulsed (NRP) plasma discharge system previously demonstrated to accelerate early flame propagation. The baseline PC design featured a funnel shaped internal volume with a PC tip that contained six radial nozzles and a larger central axial nozzle. Two additional PC tip geometries were evaluated where either the baseline internal volume was increased or the axial nozzle was removed and the radial nozzle diameters were increased. A sweep of charge equivalence ratios ( ϕ) from nearly stoichiometric to the lean limit was performed for a fixed engine speed (1300 revolutions per minute), and engine load (3.5 bar gross indicated mean effective pressure). Time-resolved PC and main chamber (MC) pressure data as well as MC emissions data were collected to analyze engine performance and emissions characteristics. Combustion in the MC was further investigated using high-speed excited methylidyne radical (CH*) chemiluminescence imaging. Collected results highlighted that while all PC tips and ignition systems exhibited similar performance and emissions down to ϕ = 0.8, relevant differences in thermal efficiency and emissions for leaner charge mixtures were observed, with the results highly dependent on the nozzle pattern and ignition system. Major deviations were correlated to preferential de-pressurization of the PC through the axial nozzle for lean conditions that was not observed for mixture conditions closer to stoichiometric. Results show that a combination of radial and axial nozzle patterns in the PC extended lean-stability limits at the low-load condition evaluated. Further benefits were observed with the use of NRP ignition systems due to faster combustion within the PC volume provided that the volume was sufficiently large.

Design, development and preliminary assessment in a porcine model of a novel peripheral intravenous catheter aimed at reducing early failure rates.

Peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs) are the most commonly used invasive medical device, yet despite best efforts by end-users, PIVCs experience unacceptably high early failure rates. We aimed to design a new PIVC that reduces the early failure rate of in-dwelling PIVCs and we conducted preliminary tests to assess its efficacy and safety in a porcine model of intravenous access. We used computer-aided design and simulation to create a PIVC with a ramped tip geometry, which directs the infused fluid away from the vein wall; we called the design the FloRamp™. We created FloRamp prototypes (test device) and tested them against a market-leading device (BD Insyte™; control device) in a highly-controlled setting with five insertion sites per device in four pigs. We measured resistance to infusion and visual infusion phlebitis (VIP) every 6 h and terminated the experiment at 48 h. Veins were harvested for histology and seven pathological markers were assessed. Computer simulations showed that the optimum FloRamp tip reduced maximum endothelial shear stress by 60%, from 12.7 Pa to 5.1 Pa, compared to a typical PIVC tip and improved the infusion dynamics of saline in the blood stream. In the animal study, we found that 2/5 of the control devices were occluded after 24 h, whereas all test devices remained patent and functional. The FloRamp created less resistance to infusion (0.73 ± 0.81 vs 0.47 ± 0.50, p = 0.06) and lower VIP scores (0.60 ± 0.93 vs 0.31 ± 0.70, p = 0.09) than the control device, although neither findings were significantly different. Histopathology revealed that 5/7 of the assessed markers were lower in veins with the FloRamp. Herein we report preliminary assessment of a novel PIVC design, which could be advantageous in clinical settings through decreased device occlusion and reduced early failure rates.